Kansas City Royals designated hitter Billy Butler (16) is congratulated by Mike Moustakas (8) after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against the Twins

JOHN SLEEZER, MCT - MCT

Cold and steady rain couldn't slow the Royals

Article by: ALAN ESKEW

Associated Press

April 11, 2013 - 7:22 AM

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Not even a bitter cold and steady rain could slow the Kansas City Royals.

Wade Davis pitched out of bases loaded jams in the first two innings, Billy Butler and Jeff Francoeur homered and the Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 3-0 on Wednesday night to sweep the three-game series.

With the first-pitch temperature at 45 degrees, a wind chill in the mid-30s and rain most of the game, the Royals won their fourth straight and sixth in seven games to move three over .500 for the first time since May 12, 2011 — when they were 20-17.

"Horrible," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "The conditions were not very conducive to playing baseball. It was cold and wet, but it played the same for both teams. It was tough to score. I didn't think anybody would be able to hit a home run tonight with the heavy air and damp air."

Butler homered in the first, while Francoeur led off the seventh with a home run to extend his hitting streak to seven games.

"It was cold, man," Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas said. "As long as we get a `W' it doesn't matter how cold it is."

The Royals have won their first three Kauffman Stadium games after losing their first 10 at home last April.

"That's in the past," Yost said. "That's not in our mind anymore. We remember it, but this is a new team. It's nice to be 6-3."

The Royals got another run in the seventh when Alcides Escobar's single scored Chris Getz. Salvador Perez had three of the nine Kansas City hits.

Davis (1-0), acquired from Tampa Bay in a December trade, held the Twins to four singles in five scoreless innings, striking out six, walking three and hitting a batter.

"The first two innings, he did a magnificent job of pitching out of bases loaded jams and in the second inning with nobody out," Yost said. "He kind of settled down from that point. He got through five and his pitch count was up."